Osteospermum plant named ‘Dondo’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant named ‘Dondo’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; numerous inflorescences per plant; pink ray florets with blue disc florets; and tolerance to high temperatures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermumplant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis and referred to by thecultivar name Dondo.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Aabyhoj, Denmark. The objective of the breeding programwas to create new Osteospermum cultivars with interesting ray floretcolors.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1995 ofproprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as 949343 asthe female, or seed, parent and a proprietary selection of Osteospermumecklonis identified as 949322 as the male, or pollen, parent. The newOsteospermum was selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant withinthe progeny of this cross in a controlled environment in Aabyhoj,Denmark, in 1996.

Plants of the new cultivar are different from plants of the femaleparent, the selection 949343, in inflorescence size and quantity of rayflorets.

Plants of the new Osteospermum are different from plants of the maleparent, the selection 949322, in plant habit inflorescence size andquantity of ray florets.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by terminal cutting at Aabyhoj,has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Dondo’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Dondo’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Numerous inflorescences per plant.

3. Pink ray florets with blue disc florets.

4. Tolerance to high temperatures.

The new cultivar can be compared to the Osteospermum cultivar Cape DaisyCongo, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,342. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Aabyhoj, Denmark, and Encinitas, Calif., plantsof the new cultivar are smaller and less vigorous; are less freelybranching; have smaller inflorescences; have darker red purple rayflorets that resist fading better; and are more high temperaturetolerant than plants of the cultivar Cape Daisy Congo.

The cultivar Dondo has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slighty from color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which more accurately describes the actual colorsof the new Osteospermum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Dondo’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalinflorescences and young and mature leaves of ‘Dondo’ (code number 9604in the photograph) and ‘Cape Daisy Congo’ (Congo in the photograph).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe one-galloncontainers of the new cultivar grown in Encinitas, Calif., underoutdoor, full-sun conditions with day temperatures ranging from 20 to27° C. and night tempertures ranging from 6 to 14° C. Plants werepinched (terminal apex removed) one time about two weeks after plantingrooted cuttings. Plants used for this description were grown for about12 to 14 weeks after planting rooted cuttings.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance areused.

Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Dondo.

Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonisidentified as 949343.

Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonisidentified as 949322.

Propagation:

Type.—By terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at 18° C.

Time to develop roots.—About 21 days at 18° C.

Rooting habit.—Fibrous.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Perennial herbaceous container and garden plant. Broadinverted triangle. Upright, outwardly spreading with rounded canopy.Moderate branching with about five primary and about five to sevensecondary branches.

Vigor.—Moderate.

Plant height.—About 30 cm.

Plant spread.—About 50 cm.

Lateral branch description.—Length: About 13 to 18 cm. Diameter:Primary, about 1 cm; secondary, about 4 mm. Internode length: About 1 to2.5 cm. Texture: Very slightly pubescent; woody at base. Color: 79A.

Foliage description.—Leaves alternate, single. Quantity of leaves persecondary branch: Numerous, about 20 to 24. Length, fully expandedleaves, basal: About 6 cm. Width, fully expanded leaves, basal: About 2cm. Shape: Elliptic to lanceolate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate.Margin: Nearly entire with three to five widely-spaced irregular teeth.Teeth typically present an older leaves. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture:Smooth; thick and leathery; slightly pubescent on lower surface. Color:Young foliage, upper surface: 139A. Young foliage, lower surface: 137B.Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 139A. Fully expanded foliage,lower surface: 137B. Attenuated leaf base: 137B to 137C. Venation, uppersurface: 139C. Venation, lower surface: 137C.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Daisy-type composite inflorescence form; actinomorphic.Single inflorescences displayed above foliage, upright on long pedunclesarising from leaf axils. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on acapitulum. Typically about 73 opened and unopened inflorescences perplant. Inflorescences last about one week. Inflorescences persistent.

Flowering response.—Plants flower continuously from April to October inthe Northern Hemisphere.

Fragrance.—None detected.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5.5 to 6 cm. Depth (height): About 2to 3 cm. Diameter of disc: About 1 cm.

Inflorescence buds.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape:Ovoid. Color: 86A.

Ray florets.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Elliptic toligulate. Apex: Tri-dentate, minute. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.Aspect: Flat and slightly upright. Texture: Smooth, satiny. Number ofray florets per inflorescence: About 20 in two whorls. Color: Whenopening, upper surface: 80A. When opening, lower surface: Centrallongitudinal stripe, 86A, surrounded by 85A on either side. Fullyopened, upper surface: 84B; fading to 84C with subsequent development.Fully opened, lower surface: Central longitudinal stripe, 86B,surrounded by 85A on either side.

Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; slightly salverform; five-lobed, fluted atapex. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: Numerous, about 67.Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Color: Immature: Apex, 86A;midsection, 85A. Mature: Apex, 90A; midsection, 87C.

Phyllaries.—Shape: Linear. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin: Entire.Quantity and arrangement: About 20 per inflorescence; whorled. Texture:Coarse, scabrous. Color: Upper surface: 137B. Lower surface: 138C.

Peduncle.—Length: About 6 cm. Aspect: Moderately strong; inflorescencesheld above foliage. Texture: Hispid; granular, coarse. Color: 137B.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Stamens:Five. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther size: About 1 mm. Anther color: 86A.Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 14A. Gynoecium: Present on rayand disc florets. Pistils: One. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape:Bipartate. Stigma color: 86A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color:86D. Ovary color: 142D. Seed, immature: Length: About 5 mm. Diameter:About 2 mm. Color: Green.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Osteospermum hasnot been observed on plants of the new Osteospermum.

Heat tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have demonstrated goodtolerance to high tppemperatures.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plantnamed ‘Dondo’, as